1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for merging the regions in the image/video, more particularly, to a method which can merge two or more than two image regions into a merged large-area image region according to a compactness value of each image region contained by an image signal, so as to enhance the efficiency of high image identification for an image region merging method.
2. Description of Related Art
Image region merging has been recognized as a sensitive issue in the image processing field. Firstly, in terms of computer language, an image region in an image signal sets out to merely represent a group of pixels having similar parameter values, such as those pixels of texture feature vectors belonging to an identical group or those pixels of texture feature vectors belonging to another identical group. Therefore, the computer itself cannot manage to merge the image pixels according to the underlying principle behind these image regions. An illustrating example would involve a merging operation between an image region representing a human body part and an image region representing a human head.
In the present state of technology of image region merging method, image pixel is commonly treated as a calculation unit, being equivalent to a so-called pixel-based algorithm, and these algorithms must work out to determine whether each image pixel merges with a neighboring image pixel. As such, in line with the traditional image region merging method, a lengthy period of time is required for the calculation of the aforementioned calculation unit. Moreover, another disadvantage of the traditional image signal resolution is that it turns to be extremely high (ex. Full HD), it will usually take several hours dedicated to processing an image signal's high resolution picture, such disadvantage invariably prevents the known image region merging method from becoming practical.
In addition, because the parameters for use by known image region merging method in determining merging requirement are identical to the parameters for use in categorizing each image pixel of an image signal into a plurality of groups, such as the parameters for use in determining color feature vector in two processes (merging process and categorizing process), it is common to see a situation where some image pixels that were originally categorized into different groups turn out to be merged into the same group after the following image region merging method, and leading to serious waste of calculation information, such as processing time of CPU.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a method which can merge two or more than two image regions into a merged large-area image region according to a compactness value of each image region contained by an image signal, so as to enhance the efficiency of high image identification for an image region merging method.